Driving lanes.. and SNOW

[YCB]

So I had this question years ago, but could never find a decent answer. Hopefully my wording won't confuse anyone.

As most of you know, when it snows the lanes (dividing, yellow broken, etc) gets covered in snow . In cases where it snows hard, the lanes will get covered for days.

So I reside in the north east where drivers range from very very poor, to decent.

Now for example, the snow dump a few days ago covered a stretch of road (Mcknight BLVD) 3 lanes wide. By the time I had reached this stretch, a bunch of people had driven there, but "created" 2 lanes which crossed the normal 3 lanes. So the 'sheep' as I like to call them, track in these fresh grooves which cross in and out of lanes, and as more sheep follow the lanes get more predominant. I know that these 'sheep' have an idea of where the lanes are, since they drive it probably everyday summer/winter.

My question is, if a buddy with a 4x4 or whatever, has an idea of where the lanes are and drives within them, and a sheep is driving a path in which the other sheep's have created (in and out of lanes). If an accident was to occur, who would be at fault?

lane crossing sheep, or buddy?!?!

Can you sense the bias? haha

EDIT: OK a 2014 bump, since this time I've have stuck to way of thought and will continue to do so.

2010 I started a short but prominent career in bus driving for our City Transit. Asked this questions to many of the bus drivers. Most say they just stick to the curb lane, which bus drivers mainly do to pick up riders. Imagine if a bus driver or semi truck were to follow the sheep as opposed to the lanes.. side swipe anyone?


New thoughts? what's so bad with driving over a bit of snow too slippery? you bought that rav4, crv, subaru, pilot, sierra, f150 for summer driving?

[megavolt]

I see where you're going with this... and I hate it when the 'ruts' cross lanes too (was on McKnight on Sunday too). But for the majority of the population that drive smaller cars with all season tires on, there's not much choice other than to drive in the ruts. Until the city comes and actually plows the roads clean that is...

As for who would be at fault in that situation, as stupid as it is I bet 'buddy' would be charged with something due to 'road conditions'.

[Senseiz]

I remember somewhere... in books, saying if road conditions are bad, driving in reduced lane numbers are allowed.

[HyperZell]

I know exactly what you're trying to say and I'm not exactly sure either. In parking lots, the stalls are mostly determined by the exisiting tracks - that's just how it is. I wonder if the road is like that too...?

[Mibz]

Depends on the accident. The only situation I can imagine where your buddy -wouldn't- be at fault is if the vehicles were driving side-by-side and the sheep sideswiped him.

[01RedDX]

.

[5000Audi]

haha i know the part of mcknight you speak of... i locked the diffs on my audi and plowed through the left hand lane where there was covered in snow.. not a track till mine... but after that people seemed to take notice of the lanes.. the 3rd started to show up after a while...

[YCB]

bump..

anyone still notice this happening?

or had a close encounter with a sheep that thinks the lane dividing becomes nulled when a bit of snow covers it? lol

[Mibz]

Clearly this is only a problem with the NE because everywhere I drive has grooves where they should be with the odd corner cut.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

Maybe the sheep are right? Just because you know where the lanes are doesnt mean that someone unfamiliar with the area does.

I'll happily drive in the ruts, even if I know where the lanes are, because this way people can expect and anticipate my moves.

Driving on the lanes that arent visible sounds stupid to me.

[Type_S1]

I don't see the problem really. Its safer to drive in the ruts for most cars since 1) Calgary drivers are horrible 2) most people dont buy winter tires and can't plow through snow.

What I do hate is the assholes in the 4x4's that rip up beside these "sheep" as you call them while they are in the ruts almost causing big accidents because they think they are big men.

[Kloubek]

ok... so what if they aren't ruts. What if the traffic sheep have melted two obvious lanes into the pavement, with the rest of the road being snow covered. What if the lines are just barely visible, and someone in a 4X4 knows exactly where the lines are as a result, but the others follow the "melt lines"?

I've noticed this quite a bit. But let's take safety of driving out of the equation, and simply say that person "A" is following the actual street lines, and person "B" is following the melt lines....

[DRKM]

Originally posted by Type_S1
I don't see the problem really. Its safer to drive in the ruts for most cars since 1) Calgary drivers are horrible 2) most people dont buy winter tires and can't plow through snow.

What I do hate is the assholes in the 4x4's that rip up beside these "sheep" as you call them while they are in the ruts almost causing big accidents because they think they are big men.

+1

There is a reason why most of the vehicles in the ditches after a good storm are trucks.

[Type_S1]

Originally posted by Kloubek
ok... so what if they aren't ruts. What if the traffic sheep have melted two obvious lanes into the pavement, with the rest of the road being snow covered. What if the lines are just barely visible, and someone in a 4X4 knows exactly where the lines are as a result, but the others follow the "melt lines"?

I've noticed this quite a bit. But let's take safety of driving out of the equation, and simply say that person "A" is following the actual street lines, and person "B" is following the melt lines....

Person A is an asshole because he will either go into the ditch, make someone go into the ditch, or hit someone

[Canucks3322]

How about stop acting like you have something to prove and slow down and drive cautiously...that means not driving side by side with another vehicle and keeping enough distance behind the car in front of you and just "going with the flow" with the rest of traffic...yes, that means, be a "sheep"...it's the safest thing to do in this situation. No one is going to give you an award because you're so smart you know where the lines normally are.

To answer the OP's question though, if I was the insurance company I would say if the snow is covering the painted lines on the road then they are no longer valid....I hope someone here knows the actual rules though...

PS...it DOES piss me off though when the lines are still clearly visible and you have morons who are driving halfway into your lane, but following my own advice, just suck it up and follow cautiously behind them, OR honk at them or go around them on the other side...when there's snow/ice on the road we all just want to get where we wanna go safely...unless someone cuts you off abruptly without shoulder checking, it's not worth it to get worked up

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by Type_S1


Person A is an asshole because he will either go into the ditch, make someone go into the ditch, or hit someone

ok... fair enough - I don't disagree.

However, TECHNICALLY, person "A" is following the actual rules of the road, where as person "B" is really the one doing their own thing.

Seems odd that person "A" could be at fault for following the rules...

[kevie88]

I like when one or more lanes get covered and no one uses them.. It's like having my own personal lane! I get to pass everyone who's going 40 under the limit .

[wintonyk]

Originally posted by kevie88
I like when one or more lanes get covered and no one uses them.. It's like having my own personal lane! I get to pass everyone who's going 40 under the limit .

me too + 1 for AWD and winters

[YCB]

/ BUMP / TTP / EDIT

[speedog]

Originally posted by YCB

I'm confused - you're calling out someone for a repost on a thread that's been dead for almost 4 years?